I won't be surprised if Cotto beats Pacquiao
by Dennis "dSource" Guillermo
It befuddles me how a lot of people are giving Manny Pacquiao such a big edge against Miguel Cotto. To me, this fight is an absolute toss-up. If I was a Miguel Cotto fan, I'd bet on Cotto since the odds in Las Vegas have him as a 2-1 underdog.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Miguel Cotto is Pacquiao's toughest challenge to date. He is naturally so much bigger (with the exception of the washed-up Oscar De la Hoya) and stronger than anybody Pacquiao has had to face. In terms of skill, Cotto will be able to give Pacquiao fits. Cotto is a very good counter puncher in his own rite and throws textbook sweet punches from all angles.
Before Pacquiao fans jump at me without fully comprehending the context of this column, allow me to state my case. See, I am by no means belittling Pacquiao's capabilities, what I am trying to say however is that Cotto is definitely the biggest mountain Pacquiao will have to climb. To me, he is far more dangerous than Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Pacquiao's past two performances against De la Hoya and Ricky Hatton were incredible indeed and Pacquiao deserves all the credit in the world he gets from both feats. Cotto though, is in a totally different league from those last two guys Pacquiao beat. Call him damaged goods all you want, but to me that is a myth. Had Cotto faced the same De la Hoya and Hatton Pacquiao did, I have no doubt he would've came away with similar results.
Cotto's true weakness for me however is his heart. A confident Cotto is a different fighter compared to a hesitant and pressured version of him. When in doubt and backed up, Cotto wavers and second-guesses himself. That's the reason why I think he quit against Margarito, and the reason why he faded against Clottey after sustaining a nasty cut from a head-butt. Against Pacquiao, he will be fighting someone whom he will have to kill before he gives up. On Pacquiao's part, he will really need all his heart can muster to beat Cotto.
Pacquiao keeps coming. When hurt, "The Pacman" pounds his fists and goes to work. His granite chin will be put to the test against a legitimate welterweight but not more than how Cotto's will be tested by a true knockout artist. If I were Cotto right now, I'd have someone ocassionaly hit the right side of my face with a baseball bat so I can get used to Pacquiao's game finishing left fist.
If Cotto survives all the best Pacquiao throws at him and fights the way he does against overmatched oppoenents, his skill and size advantage may very well be more than enough to beat the pound-for-pound king. If Juan Manuel Marquez's right was able to stagger Pacquiao a year ago, a perfectly placed counter punch by Cotto on an unsuspecting and attacking Pacquiao can definitely lay the Pacman out.
This fight is simply too intriguing and too close for me to predict and besides, it's still too early to do all of that anyway.
If I based it solely on size, strength, skill, talent and their capabilites, I might even say Cotto has a slight edge, but what most people fail to put proper value in the equation is Pacquiao's tenacity, heart and ferocity. He comes at you in a way only "Iron Mike" Tyson reminds me back in his hay days. It will also be interesting to see how Cotto will fight and react to a passionate and boisterous crowd that will be rooting against him. Most of his fights were enjoyed in the comforts of the Madison Square Garden in New York in front of a pro-Puerto Rican crowd.
Don't hate Pauli Malignaggi for favoring Cotto to beat Pacquiao by KO when he said "the guy (Cotto) hits like a beast." Cotto did afterall make him taste defeat. What Malignaggi hasn't seen however, is a devil of a fighter like Pacquiao in the ring. He may know Cotto to be a beast but Pacquiao is definitely a beast slayer. Pacquiao can definitely slaughter the biggest beasts with the power in his fists and his blinding speed.
With that said, in a story-book ending, the hero likely kills the beast. This is reality however- boxing of all things- all I'm saying is that I would not be surprised if this time the beast actually eats the hero's head off. Anything can happen, that's why this fight is so intriguing and that's why it's already sold out. It's going to be explosive and exciting unlike other mega-fights that rely on hype and advertising. And just like ticket buyers and fight fans alike, I simply could not wait to see this epic.
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I'll still bet for Pacman
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Showing posts with label Pacman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pacman. Show all posts
Tough Pacquiao-Cotto Fight
ONE of boxing’s legendary trainers sees a tough fight between pound-for-pound king Manny ‘PacMan’ Pacquiao and World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Miguel Cotto.
In an interview with eastsideboxing.com, Emmanuel “Manny” Steward said it’s unfair to give the Filipino boxing icon a clear edge over Cotto when they square off on November 14 in Las Vegas.
While Cotto was not impressive in his last fight against challenger Joshua Clottey, Steward said the latter is actually a tough fighter who could have given welterweight legends Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard a rough time in the ring.
“Based on Miguel having such a tough fight there [against Clottey] and Manny looking like a million dollars knocking out Ricky Hatton and Oscar [dela Hoya], that’s why the odds are totally going out of proportion and I don’t think that’s a fair assessment. I see it [Pacquiao-Cotto] as almost a toss-up fight, myself,” Stewards was quoted as saying.
The legendary trainer said a lot of people are actually underestimating Cotto’s size advantage over the Filipino, explaining that the champion from Puerto Rico is a natural welterweight.
Steward also said Pacquiao is a natural junior lightweight or lightweight, which puts the Filipino boxing icon at a disadvantage over Cotto. The Puerto Rican has been listed at 5’7” while Pacquiao is 5’6”.
However, Pacquiao has won the admiration of Steward, who has trained legendary champions like junior welterweight Aaron Pryor and heavyweights Evander Holyfied and Lennox Lewis, and multi-weight titleholders Hearns and De La Hoya. He presently trains heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.
“He [Pacquiao] has the instincts of a fighter, the balance, the timing, the stamina—everything—and it’s just natural. He’s a fighter! If anyone was ever born to be a fighter, it would be a guy like him or [Roberto] Duran, but he’s better because he has great rhythm, and his defense and timing are a lot better than people think,” he said.
COTTO WEAKNESSES
Steward also said that Cotto has weaknesses in defense, which can cause trouble for the Puerto Rican.
“His defense right up the middle—he has absolutely no defense for that, because his gloves are so wide, and fighters can punch right between his gloves,” the legendary trainer said.
He said that if Pacquiao is able to penetrate Cotto’s defense and hit the Puerto Rican at will, the Filipino has a chance to win their showdown.
“I think he [Cotto] should not fight with his defense being the way it has been before,” Steward said.
The Pacquiao-Cotto fight has been pegged at a catch weight of 145 pounds, or two below the welterweight limit. Freddie Roach, the Filipino’s trainer, would not allow his fighter to battle Cotto at 147 pounds because the Puerto Rican would have a big weight and size advantage on fight night.
“Freddie knows that Manny is really not a true welterweight, and that’s why he’s [Freddie] trying to at least get some kind of equilibrium in those fights by making the opponents come down in weight as close to Manny as they can for balance,” Steward said.
-- Conrad Carino
***
Can't wait to see this big fight.
Pacman VS Cotto
In an interview with eastsideboxing.com, Emmanuel “Manny” Steward said it’s unfair to give the Filipino boxing icon a clear edge over Cotto when they square off on November 14 in Las Vegas.
While Cotto was not impressive in his last fight against challenger Joshua Clottey, Steward said the latter is actually a tough fighter who could have given welterweight legends Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard a rough time in the ring.
“Based on Miguel having such a tough fight there [against Clottey] and Manny looking like a million dollars knocking out Ricky Hatton and Oscar [dela Hoya], that’s why the odds are totally going out of proportion and I don’t think that’s a fair assessment. I see it [Pacquiao-Cotto] as almost a toss-up fight, myself,” Stewards was quoted as saying.
The legendary trainer said a lot of people are actually underestimating Cotto’s size advantage over the Filipino, explaining that the champion from Puerto Rico is a natural welterweight.
Steward also said Pacquiao is a natural junior lightweight or lightweight, which puts the Filipino boxing icon at a disadvantage over Cotto. The Puerto Rican has been listed at 5’7” while Pacquiao is 5’6”.
However, Pacquiao has won the admiration of Steward, who has trained legendary champions like junior welterweight Aaron Pryor and heavyweights Evander Holyfied and Lennox Lewis, and multi-weight titleholders Hearns and De La Hoya. He presently trains heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.
“He [Pacquiao] has the instincts of a fighter, the balance, the timing, the stamina—everything—and it’s just natural. He’s a fighter! If anyone was ever born to be a fighter, it would be a guy like him or [Roberto] Duran, but he’s better because he has great rhythm, and his defense and timing are a lot better than people think,” he said.
COTTO WEAKNESSES
Steward also said that Cotto has weaknesses in defense, which can cause trouble for the Puerto Rican.
“His defense right up the middle—he has absolutely no defense for that, because his gloves are so wide, and fighters can punch right between his gloves,” the legendary trainer said.
He said that if Pacquiao is able to penetrate Cotto’s defense and hit the Puerto Rican at will, the Filipino has a chance to win their showdown.
“I think he [Cotto] should not fight with his defense being the way it has been before,” Steward said.
The Pacquiao-Cotto fight has been pegged at a catch weight of 145 pounds, or two below the welterweight limit. Freddie Roach, the Filipino’s trainer, would not allow his fighter to battle Cotto at 147 pounds because the Puerto Rican would have a big weight and size advantage on fight night.
“Freddie knows that Manny is really not a true welterweight, and that’s why he’s [Freddie] trying to at least get some kind of equilibrium in those fights by making the opponents come down in weight as close to Manny as they can for balance,” Steward said.
-- Conrad Carino
***
Can't wait to see this big fight.
Pacman VS Cotto
Pacquiao VS Cotto
Cotto’s title on the line vs PacquiaoBy NICK GIONGCO
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) removed one of Manny Pacquiao’s concerns when it announced Sunday that Miguel Cotto will defend his welterweight crown in a catch weight of 145 lbs — and not 147 lbs — against the Filipino boxing icon.
WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel told the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia that (the fight) it’s going to be for the (WBO) title” and that everything will come to a “happy ending” for both parties.
Pacquiao lawyer Franklin Gacal said he had spoken with Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum also yesterday, assuring him that the fight will be at 145 lbs and that Cotto’s WBO throne will be on the line in the super showdown penciled at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Cotto had insisted a few days back that if Pacquiao wants to go after the WBO crown, the fight will have to be at 147 lbs.
Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said fighting Cotto in a non-title bout is almost without value.
Now that it appears that a major stumbling block has been cleared, next up for discussion would be the crucial choice of finding a new training camp for Pacquiao, who has been advised by the Harvard-educated lawyer to set up the first half of his training camp outside US territory owing to an IRS regulation called the Substantial Presence Test.
Arum, whose promotional outfit Top Rank is staging the megabuck fight, will embark on a huge promotional tour of four cities in September, kicking off with the lead event at Yankee Stadium in New York on Sept. 10.
The next stops will be in Cotto’s hometown of Caguas in Puerto Rico on Sept. 12, AT&T Park in San Francisco on Sept. 13 and Beverly Hills in Los Angeles on Sept. 14.
Then, the two will head to their respective training camps with Cotto going to Tampa, Florida, and Pacquiao in the Bahamas, Canada, Mexico or the Philippines.
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